mea|sles

mea|sles
mea|sles «MEE zehlz», noun.
1. a contagious disease caused by a virus, characterized by the symptoms of a bad cold, fever, and a breaking out of small, red spots on the skin; rubeola. Measles is a disease that is much more common in children than in grown-ups. »

What seems to be a cold…often turns out to be the beginning of measles (Newsweek).

2. a less severe disease with a similar breaking out; German measles.
3. a) a disease of hogs and cattle caused by the larvae of tapeworms. b) the larvae that cause this disease.
╂[Middle English maseles blood blisters; probably influenced by mezel leprous < Old French < Latin misellus wretch < miser wretched]
Usage Measles is plural in form but usually singular in use: »

Measles is a children's disease.


Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • mea·sles — /ˈmiːzəlz/ noun [noncount] : a disease that causes a fever and red spots on the skin He has (the) measles. get/catch the measles see also GERMAN MEASLES …   Useful english dictionary

  • sles — mea·sles; …   English syllables

  • mea — ad·mea·sure; ad·mea·sure·ment; blu·mea; com·mea·sur·able; com·mea·sure; fra·mea; mam·mea; ma·nu·mea; MEA; mea·cock; mea; mea·ger; mea·ger·ly; mea·ger·ness; mea·sle; mea·sled; mea·sles; mea·sly; mea·sur·abil·i·ty; mea·sur·able; mea·sur·ably;… …   English syllables

  • measles — mea·sles …   English syllables

  • measles — mea|sles [ˈmi:zəlz] n [U] also the measles [Date: 1300 1400; Origin: Perhaps from Middle Dutch masel measles spot (influenced by mesel leper (13 16 centuries))] an infectious illness in which you have a fever and small red spots on your face and… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • measles — mea|sles [ mizlz ] noun an infectious disease common in children in which there are red spots all over the body and a high fever => GERMAN MEASLES …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • measles — mea•sles [[t]ˈmi zəlz[/t]] n. 1) pat (used with a sing. or pl. v.) a) an acute infectious disease caused by a paramyxovirus, characterized by small red spots, fever, and coldlike symptoms, usu. occurring in childhood; rubeola b) any of certain… …   From formal English to slang

  • Measles — An acute and highly contagious viral disease characterized by fever, runny nose, cough, red eyes, and a spreading skin rash. Measles, also known as rubeola, is a potentially disastrous disease. It can be complicated by ear infections, pneumonia,… …   Medical dictionary

  • bladder worms — Measles Mea sles, n.; pl. in form, but used as singular in senses 1, 2, & 3. [D. mazelen; akin to G. masern, pl., and E. mazer, and orig. meaning, little spots. See {Mazer}.] [1913 Webster] 1. (Med.) A contagious viral febrile disorder commencing …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • German measles — Measles Mea sles, n.; pl. in form, but used as singular in senses 1, 2, & 3. [D. mazelen; akin to G. masern, pl., and E. mazer, and orig. meaning, little spots. See {Mazer}.] [1913 Webster] 1. (Med.) A contagious viral febrile disorder commencing …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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